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KeithMullins
Microsoft probably had to add the chip due to the processing power needed. It ...
imageidol
Your artcle claims that the infrared camera uses the MT9M001 sensor and RGB ...
Teardown: Kinect has processor after all
Dylan McGrath
11/15/2010 11:57 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO—Despite Microsoft Corp.'s claims to the contrary, its new Kinect motion-gaming ad-on for the Xbox 360 uses a standalone applications processor marketed by Marvell Technology Group Ltd. , according to a teardown analysis of the Kinect performed by UBM TechInsights.
TechInsights' teardown uncovered within Kinect a Marvell PXA 168 applications processor, a part usually found in notebook computers. In September, Microsoft reportedly said it decided not to use a dedicated processor in Kinect. Instead, the company reportedly said the peripheral would harness the power of the processor within the Xbox.
Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.) did not immediately respond to request for comment about the discrepancy.
TechInsights analysts concluded that Microsoft's head fake means the company has bigger plans to make Kinect more of a platform for applications beyond gaming, or that the company was simply trying to prevent the device from being hacked. The Kinect has reportedly already been hacked multiple times.
The analysts also believe that Microsoft may have underestimated the resource demand on the 360 console processor and was forced into using a laptop-equivalent processor to integrate the imaging, sensing, motor-drive and control functions and orchestrate I/O and communications between the Kinect and Xbox 360. It's also possible that the processor was required to support the spatial aspects of Kinect's multiple microphones, they said.
"It’s difficult to identify exactly what the Marvell processor accomplishes on the Kinect as investigation on how the firmware and software manage all control and processing functions and how they could be localized/virtualized to the Xbox haven’t been investigated yet," said Allan Yogasingam, a technical marketing manager at TechInsights. "Regardless, Microsoft has created a product that takes full advantage of all its components to provide an innovative gaming experience. The existence of this Marvell processor just opens the door for further innovation down the line and an extension of the Kinect from more than just a sensor-based gaming accessory."
TechInsights also conducted further study on the sensor unit that works with Kinect's image processor, made by PrimeSense Ltd. The firm discovered that the CMOS image sensors used were provided by Aptina Imaging (the die markings on the sensors still refer to Micron Imaging, which was spun off into Aptina in 2008). The infrared camera uses the MT9M001 sensor and RGB input from the color camera features the MT9M112 sensor, TechInsights said.
Close up of the Marvell PXA 168 applications processor found inside Kinect. Source: UBM TechInsights.
TechInsights' recent teardown of Kinect found chips made by PrimeSense, Marvell, Texas Instruments Inc., STMicroelectronics NV and others. The firm estimates that Kinect carries a bill-of-materials of roughly $56 for the components, not including the the price of design, R&D and the $500 million Microsoft plans to spend to market the device.
UBM TechInsights is a division of United Business Media, the parent company of EE Times.
TechInsights' teardown uncovered within Kinect a Marvell PXA 168 applications processor, a part usually found in notebook computers. In September, Microsoft reportedly said it decided not to use a dedicated processor in Kinect. Instead, the company reportedly said the peripheral would harness the power of the processor within the Xbox.
Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.) did not immediately respond to request for comment about the discrepancy.
TechInsights analysts concluded that Microsoft's head fake means the company has bigger plans to make Kinect more of a platform for applications beyond gaming, or that the company was simply trying to prevent the device from being hacked. The Kinect has reportedly already been hacked multiple times.
The analysts also believe that Microsoft may have underestimated the resource demand on the 360 console processor and was forced into using a laptop-equivalent processor to integrate the imaging, sensing, motor-drive and control functions and orchestrate I/O and communications between the Kinect and Xbox 360. It's also possible that the processor was required to support the spatial aspects of Kinect's multiple microphones, they said.
"It’s difficult to identify exactly what the Marvell processor accomplishes on the Kinect as investigation on how the firmware and software manage all control and processing functions and how they could be localized/virtualized to the Xbox haven’t been investigated yet," said Allan Yogasingam, a technical marketing manager at TechInsights. "Regardless, Microsoft has created a product that takes full advantage of all its components to provide an innovative gaming experience. The existence of this Marvell processor just opens the door for further innovation down the line and an extension of the Kinect from more than just a sensor-based gaming accessory."
TechInsights also conducted further study on the sensor unit that works with Kinect's image processor, made by PrimeSense Ltd. The firm discovered that the CMOS image sensors used were provided by Aptina Imaging (the die markings on the sensors still refer to Micron Imaging, which was spun off into Aptina in 2008). The infrared camera uses the MT9M001 sensor and RGB input from the color camera features the MT9M112 sensor, TechInsights said.
Close up of the Marvell PXA 168 applications processor found inside Kinect. Source: UBM TechInsights.
TechInsights' recent teardown of Kinect found chips made by PrimeSense, Marvell, Texas Instruments Inc., STMicroelectronics NV and others. The firm estimates that Kinect carries a bill-of-materials of roughly $56 for the components, not including the the price of design, R&D and the $500 million Microsoft plans to spend to market the device.
UBM TechInsights is a division of United Business Media, the parent company of EE Times.
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goafrit
11/16/2010 8:14 AM EST
Why Microsoft has to deny reality and science is strange to me. What is bad in using another hardware when you are not a hardware maker. Everything will always be teared and the contents revealed.
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Shed Quake
11/20/2010 10:45 PM EST
It's not strange, man. Once its processor revealed, the chance of Kinect being hacked just doubled.
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Frank Eory
11/16/2010 10:13 AM EST
Indeed, almost everything has a processor of some sort in it, and in this case it is a positive selling point. By not sapping the resources of the 360, the fact that Kinect has its own processor is a very good thing -- something to be advertised, not denied.
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Robotics Developer
11/16/2010 10:47 AM EST
I wonder if perhaps they did not want to take anything away from the 360 system? If they thought the need for an external processor would somehow make the main unit "look bad", I could understand their downplaying the external processing. I can't understand why they didn't just include it in the features for the Kinect and both short circuit all the focus on it while enabling them to say: We have a more powerful system with the addition of the 168? Sometimes companies have sensitivities to unusual things and this could be one of those times. Perhaps, there is concern internally for the 360's processing capacity? Maybe, they are planning an upgrade in the near future and do not want to tip their hand. Just a few questions to consider.
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jimcondon
11/16/2010 11:22 PM EST
I wonder if the plan was to get rid of the processor but time to market killed that idea and marketing had already set the party line. Still it's amazing companies don't realize everything is ripped apart and posted on the internet, video'd for YouTube and posted on eetimes.
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yalanand
11/17/2010 4:51 AM EST
I wonder if they underestimated the requirement of processor also initially , just like they underestimated kind of processor that is required. ?
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GREAT-Terry
11/17/2010 10:49 AM EST
To me, I don't know why having a processor is bad. Anyone can tell why a device/hardware that doesn't have processor is better?
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hm
11/20/2010 11:54 PM EST
May be Microsfot will come with new implemtation of design and revised model without this Marvel Processor. This may help them reduce BOM cost and make product more affordable.
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imageidol
11/25/2010 11:05 AM EST
Your artcle claims that the infrared camera uses the MT9M001 sensor and RGB input from the color camera features the MT9M112 sensor
According to datasheets, the MT9M001 is the colour sensor with a larger pixel size and not the IR sensor and the MT9M112 is the SOC image sensor more suitable for IR applications
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KeithMullins
11/29/2010 6:00 PM EST
Microsoft probably had to add the chip due to the processing power needed. It is probably a better design this way anyway, since the Kinect will free up the main processor on the 360.
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